Distance learning demands a dedicated effort on your part to make and maintain your own schedule for working on your courses. Many students find that they fall behind and never catch up. Don't let this happen to you. You might want to review the study guides site to help you be a success in distance learning. Consider using the strategies to avoid procrastination and time management.

Active learning:

• The online learning process is less structured and requires significantly more input from you, the student, to make it successful.

• An online learning environment is constructivist/active learning wherein students construct their own understanding.

• An online course places greater burden on you, the student, to acquire knowledge; it requires you to work harder, or at least differently, to synthesize the knowledge you gain.

• While there may be no travel time or physical attendance requirements, don't expect that there is less work in an online course. In fact, you will likely find that you have to write more and spend even more time and effort on such a class then in a "face-to-face" classroom environment.

• Attendance in an online class means active participation in discussions. 

• Successful learners in the online environment need to be active, creative, and engaged in the learning process. This process occurs through the formation of a learning community and is reflective in nature. The most profound learning in an online course comes through interacting with other students.

Roles:

• My role as your instructor is as a "learning facilitator" or mentor, not a lecturer. In the context of online learning, you, the student, will need to take a great deal of responsibility for your own learning!

• As a facilitator, I encourage you to engage in personal reflection by designing assignments and asking questions that allow you to apply material to your own work or life situations. As a facilitator I am a "guide on the side" rather than the "sage on the stage." As a guide on the side, I hope to enable you to learn collaboratively from and with one another.

Since there are no lectures in an online course, approach your reading assignments as you would a lecture:

• Take notes that condense the material to key points and illustrations; make yourself an outline as you read

• Continually ask yourself questions and try to articulate answers

• Since you are now in the position of being your own teacher, sketch an outline of a lecture you might give to a group of students on the material you have just learned

• Take special note to read the syllabus and all instructions on assignments more than once (your mentor may not be there to continually remind you of what you need to do)

Netiquette: When you participate in online discussions keep the following points in mind:

• Do not use all capital letters or others will think you are SHOUTING. 

• Do keep your responses professional and respectful. 

• If something you read angers you, do not respond immediately. Wait and carefully formulate your response so that it is respectful. If you wait a day before posting you will allow for a "cooling-off" period and time to reflect. Often, on second reading at a later time, you may find that a post initially seen as offensive is not actually that bad. This waiting period give you a chance to respond from a place of reason rather than anger.

• Want to add some emotion to your postings? Use emoticons ;-) Here's a series of Web pages that introduce you to emoticons and provides a large list of various kinds of emoticons for various purposes.

Are you ready for Online Learning?: e-Learner's Advisor self-assessment: Answer a few simple questions to see if you are ready for this. Includes a detailed analysis of results and personalized suggestions for success in online learning.

Work and study habits  

Online classes are convenient and flexible but students have to be disciplined enough to make time to study and participate. Successful online students: 

• Log in regularly to their classes, usually at least three times per week
• Plan to ensure enough time to study and complete assignments
• Take notes as they study
• Commit 6 - 9 hours per week per three-credit class
• Enjoy communicating in writing and reading the writing of others
• Be able to work with others via email and chat to complete projects
• "Speak up" to their instructors when problems arise

Online interactions are often an essential element of the learning experience. Be willing to share your ideas, carefully consider your responses to others, and be prepared to have your ideas challenged occasionally. 

Effective learning styles (learn more about  learning styles) 

Online learning is best for those who learn by reading and writing; if you learn better by hearing lectures or making presentations, an on-campus class might be a better fit. Successful online students:

• Are active learners who are willing to take responsibility for their own learning
• Are visual learners able to learn easily from reading and writing. If you learn best by hearing the instructor, you may want to consider an on-campus class or ITV/telecourse distance education class.

Necessary skill set The instructor can not see their students and won't know if you are confused, bored, or frustrated unless you are willing to talk to her/him about it. Successful online students:

• Know how to use technology properly. 
  • Blackboard Basics tutorials (including video demos)
  • Computer Skills Tutorials (if you need help with basic computer skills)
• Read and write well. Students with weaknesses in these areas can get remedial help or consider classroom learning.
• Are comfortable addressing problems at a distance. Distance education students need to be assertive in order to make their needs known.
• Have good time management skills to plot and follow a schedule for finishing readings and assignments. Here's a chart you can use to help schedule your time.
• Have solid research skills, including how to effectively use the Internet.
• Have the ability to work well cooperatively, even when your communication is restricted to email or online chat.

To begin your online learning experience: login to Blackboard

• Specific login directions are available at: http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart/

• If you do not know your user name/VCCS e-mail address, go to: http://whoami.vccs.edu/

• text and video demos at: http://tac.nvcc.edu/blackboard/bb6student/loginpage.htm 

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Resources: 

1. Canada, Mark. "Students as Seekers in Online Courses" in Principles of Effective Teaching in the Online Classroom

2. Palloff, Rena and Keith. Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom

3. Portland Community College. An Overview of Web Courses